History of Black Friday - What's the Origin of November Shopping Spree?
Queues stretching for miles, jostling in shops and huge sales? That's what most people associate Black Friday with. Few of us know about the shootings and massive scams. Learn more about the history of Black Friday.
It's Black Friday, and stores have already been bombarding us with promotions, sales and special offers prepared for this unusual holiday. The phenomenon of the shopping frenzy in the last Friday of November has really exploded in the relatively recent past. Today, Black Friday is part of our reality that cannot be ignored in everyday life. How did it all come about? We invite you to a short history lesson.
Black Friday – what's it all about?
Friday makes enough sense. But what about the black part? Well, it's a holiday that marks the beginning of Christmas shopping frenzy. That's right after Thanksgiving.
Black Friday has no fixed date, because Fridays in general do not. It's sort of a movable feast. It is always the last Friday of November. This year, it's November 26.
But to the point – what is Black Friday? Why all the shopping frenzy? The day brings discounts to all sorts of stores... and not just any discounts. The best deals let you save up to 90% of original price. Possibly the biggest reason behind Black Friday being the event that it is only 4 weeks away from Christmas. So, people take the opportunity to get some Christmas gifts.
In the United States, it's also a kind of indicator of the level of consumer confidence. Attempts are made to use it to determine the financial capacity of a society and its willingness to spend money. Poor Black Friday results equal poor consumer confidence.
Black Friday history – why is it called that?
The beginning of the 20th century is crucial if we are to fully understand the history of Black Friday. It was during this period that the rapid development and massive openings of new stores and shopping centers defined people's shopping habits in the way we know today. Especially in the biggest cities.
There was a tradition in the United States of taking an extra day off after Thanksgiving. Mainly to take a four-day vacation and start shopping for Christmas. In November 1951, the term "black friday" was coined in the journal Factory Management and Maintenance . Precisely to describe the phenomenon of mass sick leaves.
The term itself did not catch on until a few years later – reportedly after Philadelphia police used it to describe the huge traffic jams and scuffles between customers in shopping centers that took place exactly on a Friday after Thanksgiving . The chaos in the city required numerous interventions – there were numerous accidents, thefts and brawls.
There is one more story that explains the origin of this holiday. However, it should be taken with a grain of salt – more as a symbolic anecdote than a real reason. One particular day, shopkeepers didn't write with red ink, as it was used for recording losses in their accounts. Black Friday was the day when the pages were fully black, meaning only profits.
Black Friday tragedies and memes – is it still funny, or actually sad?
Black Friday is probably the most chaotic "holiday" ever created. No other day is so confusing. Consumerism, coupled with irresponsible crowd management and haste, can create a dangerous mix. People's health, and oftentimes lives, were in jeopardy more than oncee.
This day did not escape the attention of creators around the world. Hundreds, if not thousands, of ironic pictures summarizing people's behavior during Black Friday have been created. And for a good reason – on this day, a large part of society completely loses touch with reality.
Unfortunately, on several occasions, it ended in tragedy. In 2008, a stampede trampled one person. The entrance to the store was obliterated by over two thousand people. In addition to one man who lost his life that day, eleven other people were injured. However, this is not the end of the black list of Black Friday victims.
In 2011, customers of one of the stores were fought off with pepper spray by a woman who was apparently very anxious to buy a console at a sixty percent discount. There were even shootings – one of which was caused by an argument over parking space.
Is Black Friday really about good deals?
Black Friday is still a day when you can find great deals and save a bit of money. However, there is a problem – many, uhm, capitalists began increasingly sure that of course, it is a day of great deals... but for them. It won't be a bombshell if we tell you that Black Friday is also a day of unfair practices and swindles aimed at maximizing profits.
This type of behavior is regulated by law and is generally punishable. However, for many stores, this is still not a sufficient deterrence. Fine print is as fine as ever, and prices are often inflated during the months prior to Black Friday to create a fall impression of huge discounts.
So – can you really save on Black Friday and find really good deals? You sure can. You just need to remember a few basic rules. Just be cautious and reasonable. Before you decide to buy anything, think about it twice. Stay alert, compare, and analyze prices. And above all, do not forget about your rights as a consumer. With the right approach, you will surely find something interesting and the Black Friday may bring you lots of satisfaction.
